MANGLED MESS: The 220 kV tower that collapsed in the strong gale.

HYDERABAD: Thirty tonnes of steel girders and bars have been despatched to Budidampadu for erection of a new tower for the 220 kV transmission line in place of the one, which had collapsed last week.

The Transco purchased the material from a Government-owned steel plant in view of the criticism that the seven towers earlier and the one now had collapsed at the place due to inferior quality of material used earlier. According to sources, the installation of the 170-feet tower will cost Rs. 21 lakhs.

Probe on

Even as an inquiry is on by the State's Electrical Inspector into the collapse of the seven towers, and the one again after re-erection, work on the new tower has begun in full swing. The APTransco wants to complete it and charge the transmission line by Saturday.

All eyes are on the tower now because the Kothagudem-Budidampadu high voltage line cannot be restored without this for evacuation of power from Kothagudem Thermal Power Station. In the absence of this tower, the line now remains snapped, rendering the Kothagudem complex incapable of helping the State, though ready for generation.

At a time when the State is facing power shortage, the grid is able to utilise hardly 600 MW out of the 1,160 MW capacity of the complex. The re-erection is a delicate work as another high voltage line going towards Miryalaguda passes underneath the Kothagdem-Budidampadu line. Several skilled workers from Tamil Nadu left suddenly unable to bear the heat and strong gales while working at a height of 170 ft.

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